A rare Elizabethan carved oak chest, dated 1598

with cleated top, the gouge carved base with two long drawers carved with three sets of initials and date,  the panelled side applied with geometric devices, one side branded 'T.C',  the two front circular fluted legs of waisted form, the square feet joined by peripheral stretchers, restorations

The form of the offered lot bears a close resemblance to a type of furniture usually refered to as a counter table. The term counter table is usually applied to describe a table with a sliding top marked out with lines and squares representing values and units which could be used for calculating accounts. Whilst the offered lot lacks these attributes there is a large central section for storage, in this case two drawers, and a top which has a large surface area.

For similarities in the carved lettering see Victor Chinnery, Oak Furniture, The British Tradition, Woodbridge, 1979, p. 424. Chinnery features a panel from the 1550s carved in a comparable style. Similar carving that is featured on the drawer borders and legs is also seen in a group of chairs produced for the Conyers family of Hornby Castle, Yorkshire (Chinnery op. cit., pp. 430-432). Whilst there are differences there is a comparative boldness in the naively carved designs that the Conyers group and offered lot feature.